Designed by the renowned architect Stanford White in 1885, this 44-room Gilded Age 'cottage' was the summer retreat of Joseph Hodges Choate, a former US ambassador to England. The estate retains so much of its original character that you almost expect Choate to be sitting at the breakfast table.
The influence of Choate's travels abroad are visible not only in the home's rich and eclectic interior but also in the acres of surrounding formal gardens with their fountains, sculpture and themed plantings. The prominent landscape architect Fletcher Steele spent some three decades laying them out and establishing the plantings. Strolling through the gardens alone is worth the price of admission.
To get there, follow Pine St from the Red Lion Inn to Prospect St.
